Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC): Tanegashima Space Center is located on the island of Tanegashima; the easternmost island of the Osumi Islands of Japan. There are 2 active launch pads at Tanegashima; Launch Pad-1 (LP-1) and Launch Pad-2 (LP-2). They are in an area known as the Yoshinobu Launch Complex and designated as Launch Area-Y, Area-Y or LA-Y. They differentiate between pads by placing a (1) or a (2) after the designation. H-IIA rockets launch from Pad-1 while H-IIB rockets launch from Pad-2.

Payload Fairing (4S): for the H-IIA rocket is 12m (39 ft.) in height and has a diameter of 4 m (13.1 ft.) and is jettisoned after liftoff once it reaches a safe altitude where turbulence from the air won’t be a problem.

Second Stage: is liquid fueled utilizing hydrogen & oxygen (LOX/LH2) to power its single LE-5B engine and it burns for 530 seconds. It is 9.2 m (30.2 ft.) tall and 4m (13.1 ft.) in diameter. The second stage can be re-ignited up to three times.

2 Strap-on Boosters (SRB-A’s): are solid fuel boosters utilizing polybutadiene for propellant and they burn for about 100 seconds. They are 15.1 m (49.5 ft.) tall and 2.5 m (8.2 ft.) in diameter.

First Stage: is liquid fueled utilizing liquid oxygen & hydrogen (LOX/LH2) to propel a single LE-7A engine that burn for about 390 seconds. It is 37.2 m (122 ft.) tall and 4 m (13.1 ft.) in diameter.